How Long Does it Take to Recover from a Breast Augmentation?

Surgery can cause a lot of worry. You may picture nurses frantically running around, lots of pain medication, and weeks in the hospital.

But breast augmentation doesn’t have to be so scary. In fact, it’s a fairly quick procedure, and in most cases you’ll be able to go home the day of the surgery.

Here, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions regarding breast augmentation. You might be surprised at how quick, easy, and safe the whole process is.

How Long Will It Take Me to Heal?

This is one of the most commonly asked questions during breast augmentation consultations. But there is no simple answer, as recovery time can vary a lot depending on the type of surgery you have. Do you want saline or silicone implants? Is the surgery subglandular or submuscular (over the muscles or under the muscles?

That being said, recovery from breast augmentation surgery is usually pretty quick. It’s an outpatient procedure that takes only a couple of hours. You’ll be able to return home the day of the surgery.

How long until you’re back to the old you? Some patients will be moving around like normal in as little as 7-10 days.

How Can I Best Manage Pain and Scarring?

Although recovery is fast, there’s going to be some pain and discomfort involved. The best way to recover is to take it slow in the weeks and days after the surgery and let your body heal naturally.

Make sure you get plenty of rest, and avoid any heavy lifting. In fact, it’s best if you avoid lifting even light objects as much as possible. Try to get others to help you with daily chores.

And if your job is physically demanding, you should try to take some time off work, or focus on desk tasks for a few days.

Exercise is great for recovery, as long as you don’t push yourself too much. Start out with light walks the first few days after the procedure. Work your way back up to your normal levels of physical activity.

Avoid getting too much sun, especially if you are showing a lot of skin. And stay away from tanning beds. They’ll make scars much more visible.

If you frequently lift weights, you’ll want to stay away from them for a few weeks. Once you’re back in the gym, start light and work your way up to your normal lifting routine.

If you want some medication to help prevent scarring, you should use silicone sheets and scar cream. This will help reduce inflammation and keep the scar as small as possible.

What’s The Timeline for Recovery?

Days 1-3

The first few days are going to involve the most pain and discomfort. Some swelling and bruising is normal. Make sure that the incision stays dry. Pain may be worst at night.

Days 3-10

This is when pain and swelling begin to reduce significantly. You should try to keep the incision dry for the most part, but you can begin to shower with it uncovered. And you’ll want to still avoid any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise.

Days 10-21

At this point in your recovery, pain and swelling will be greatly reduced. And your risk of infection is much lower. You may still be feeling some pain, but it will mostly be during the night. You can begin to increase your exercise load a bit, but should still avoid heavy lifting.

Days 21-40

Most patients won’t need any serious pain medication at this point. And you can begin to return to your normal exercise routine and start doing more demanding workouts. And by now you shouldn’t have to worry about getting the incision wet.

Days 40+

Breasts begin to soften and get their bounce back. You should notice that the scar tissue is much more relaxed. And you should be able to return to most of your old exercise routine, although you should still start light when weightlifting—you’ll also be weaker since you haven’t lifted in weeks.

What Are Some Common Complications?

Most recoveries from breast augmentation surgery go smoothly. But there can be occasional complications. Here are some symptoms that might require medical care:

• Breast deflation
• Severe pain
• Persistent swelling
• Fever
• Pus or other discharge from the site of the implant
• Lumps

If you have any of the above symptoms, you should contact your doctor right away.

And don’t be afraid to reach out to us if you have any questions about your recovery.